In nine months, 30 rhinos died

KATHMANDU: SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2021 – Thirty rhinos have died in Chitwan National Park and surrounding areas in the first nine months of the current fiscal year. Of them, 26 died due to natural causes and four were killed by poachers.

According to Lokendra Adhikari, information officer of the park, the rhino was last found dead on 1st of Baisakh. Last fiscal year, 26 rhinos died due to natural causes. With three months left, the park is working to form a committee to find out the cause of death of more rhinos than last year.

Rhinos that die due to natural causes are getting old, fighting with each other, getting stuck in swamps, being attacked by tigers and so on. The death toll is estimated to have risen as the number of rhinos increased in the western part of the park. After the recent rhino census, the exact number of rhinos in each area has not been ascertained.

Chief Conservation Officer of the park, Annath Baral, said that internal relocation would be done if necessary after the data is released. The park is working to control poaching. No further poaching has been reported after some smugglers were arrested. Last year, there was zero poaching.

Baral said efforts were being made to reduce the number of deaths due to natural causes. Rhinos have been counted this year after 2015. According to this year’s census, 694 rhinos were found in the park. In the previous census, the number was only 605. Since then, the number has increased, despite bathing and gifts to China.

It is estimated that some rhinos reached India after the floods. Although 10 rhinos have been brought back from India, it is estimated that some rhinos are still on Indian soil. Conservationists are excited as the number of rhinos increases as expected. – Rasas